UK’s ‘peanuts’ pledge for land and ocean conservation faces criticism at Cop15

Setting the target of protecting 30% of land and ocean by 2030 is a negotiating priority for the UK at Cop15. Photograph: Poelzer Wolfgang/Alamy

The UK has announced it will give nearly £30m to support developing countries in delivering the target to protect 30% of land and ocean by 2030, an amount conservationists criticised as being “nothing like what’s needed”.

The announcement was made on Thursday as the environment secretary, Thérèse Coffey, started international negotiations at Cop15 in Montreal. The £29m pledge – £24m of which is new money – is being allocated to support developing countries in delivering the 30x30 target, which is a negotiating priority for the UK at the UN summit.